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Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013

Tuesday - 5/21/2013, 9:37am EDT

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal
Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The
Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the
stories you hear on the air.

They're at it again. The Treasury is about to tap into federal employees'
retirement and disability funds to keep the government going. That's until
Congress votes to raise the debt ceiling. At that point, Treasury would borrow
fresh money and repay the retirement accounts with interest. Treasury Secretary
Jacob Lew says the tactic can keep the
lights on until at least Labor Day. Congress voted to temporarily suspend the debt
limit in January. That suspension ended Sunday.(Federal News Radio)

Former IRS commissioner Douglas Shulman will testify before the
Senate Finance Committee. He'll be asked about a program that seemed to target for
special scrutiny, conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status. Lawmakers
are likely to ask, what Shulman knew about goings-on in the Cincinnati office, and
when did he find out? Also, why Shulman didn't mention it to Congress after he was
briefed. Yesterday, the White House revealed that Chief of Staff Denis McDonough
and other senior advisers knew in late April about the upcoming Treasury inspector
general's report. (Federal News Radio)

Oklahoma Gov.Mary Fallin (R) deployed 80 National Guard members to assist with
rescue operations in Moore. The suburban city of 56,000, near Oklahoma City, was
laid waste by a gigantic tornado. Fallin spoke with President Barack
Obama, who declared a major disaster. Obama ordered federal aid to supplement
state and local recovery efforts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration said it was the third deadliest tornado since the government
started keeping records in 1950. The National Weather Service issued an initial
finding that the tornado was an EF-4 on the enhanced Fujita scale, the second
most-powerful type of twister. (Federal News Radio)

The House passed a bill to outlaw phony claims of military accomplishment for
the purpose of making money or of obtaining government benefits. The newest
version of the Stolen Valor Act
overcomes a flaw in an earlier version the Supreme Court overturned. The Court
said false claims of military valor are protected free speech unless used for
fraud. The new bill, from Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.), passed 390 to 3. (Federal
News Radio)

There are new assistant secretaries at the Treasury and Agriculture
departments and they came to their positions more easily than usual. President
Barack Obama appointed them using the faster process passed by Congress last year,
reports The Washington Post. Senators still
have the power to object to an appointee, but they no longer require Senate
approval. Natalie Wyeth Earnest was name the assistant secretary for public
affairs at Treasury and Gregory L. Parham was name assistant secretary for
administration at the USDA. (The Washington Post)

The Justice inspector general is looking into whether a former Arizona federal
prosecutor can be sanctioned
professionally. He leaked internal documents in 2011. He was trying to undermine a
congressional inquiry into the controversial Fast and Furious gun tracing
operation. Dennis Burke was fired so be can't be sanctioned any more by Justice.
But the IG referred his case to the Office of Professional Responsibility. Burke
could still be punished by state legal associations. (Federal News Radio)